Need suggestions/help with offering bottle

[Xavismom]

We had planned on me being a SAHM, but it now seems like I will have to go back to work one day a week, at least for a while. We are moving to a new house next friday, with my mom. We are all buying the house together (DH, my mom and I) The house is perfect for a multigenerational arrangement, but the payment is a little bigger than we originally anticipated, so I'm going to make up the difference.

I only need to work one or two days a month, for about 3 or 4 hours in order to do this, so I'm really trying not to feel sad about this. But DS will NOT take a bottle of BM. I went into work last sunday, and when I got home, DS was hysterical wanting milk and mommy, and DH was really upset too. He was worried about DS not eating, and felt awful that he couldnt calm DS down or make him happy by doing anything, and from what he said, they tried a lot of different things. I felt so guilty.... DS was choking and gasping trying to nurse and was clinging to me. It made me feel like a bad Mama

I am really upset and scared for this coming sunday... I have appointments set up, so I cant back out now. I've been trying to get DS to take a bottle of BM this week, and we are not making much progress.

I can get him to take the nipple in his mouth, and it LOOKS like he is sucking on it, but after 10-15 min, the bottle still has the same amount of milk as it did when we started. And when DH tries to give the bottle, he wont even take it in his mouth, he gets mad and cried and pushes it away.

I dont know what to do.

We are using an Adiri natural nurser bottle. Its a stage one. Do you guys think it would help if I bought a stage three? I have a really forcefull letdown, and oversupply, so DS is used to the milk coming out really fast. I'm not sure how much that would even help though, as he gets so angry when Dad tries to give it to him....

[ellairiesmom]

nak
similar situation here...overproducer, overactive letdown...not going back to work but have 3 days over the next month where i need to have dh feed dd2. she is 7 weeks old.

any tips for getting them to take a bottle?

[Xavismom]

I tried a different bottle. I bought the glass Medela breastfeeding bottles.

DS still totally hates it.

My mom tried giving it to him since she is the one who will be watching DS for me, while I hid in the kitchen. He got so mad and upset. He was kicking and crying and pushing it away. I wanted to take him from her, and she was like, no, I think he just needs to burp and I'll try some more... and I was like how does he need to burp if he hasnt even drank anything?!? She kept trying and I couldnt handle seeing DS that upset so I finally took him, and went upstairs to nurse him in our room. It took almost an hour to calm him down He got himself crying so hard that he was soaked in sweat and was choking. My poor little boy!!

I feel so upset... and kind of mad at my mom. When we were all origianally looking for our house, we all planned on the mortgage being a certain amount, and my mom just totally ignored that and ended up getting something bigger and more expensive, and we didnt find out about that until 2 days before we closed... and now because of that she keeps hinting and pressuring me to work and make up the difference even though orignially I was going to SAHM to take care of the baby, and all the housework/cleaning She keeps telling me 'all her friends kids' went back to work when the baby was 8 weeks old like its some great thing... when I know for a fact she SAH with me as a babe for a year.

If it wasnt for this, we wouldnt have to put my little DS through this.. he HATES the bottles

If anyone has any good suggestions... please help.. it breaks my heart seeing him upset like today.

[PatioGardener]

OK, so if my early morning math is right, baby is about 4 months old? You may actually be able to nurse before you go to work and then when you return, if you are only gone 3-4 hours at a time.

[Xavismom]

Originally Posted by PatioGardener

OK, so if my early morning math is right, baby is about 4 months old? You may actually be able to nurse before you go to work and then when you return, if you are only gone 3-4 hours at a time.

We have tried this By the time I got home on the day we attempted this idea, he was hysterical and crying and hiccuping. He held onto my breast like it was a life preserver and nursed furiously while sniffling and staring at me with big sad eyes. I felt so awful about it. He eats pretty frequently. Sometimes during the day he'll go a few hours, but I can usually count on only about 2 hrs inbetween nursing.

I am starting to think the only option is to have my DH come with me to work, and maybe walk around the shops nearby so I can try to nurse him inbetween my appointments.

[PatioGardener]

Originally Posted by Xavismom

We have tried this By the time I got home on the day we attempted this idea, he was hysterical and crying and hiccuping. He held onto my breast like it was a life preserver and nursed furiously while sniffling and staring at me with big sad eyes. I felt so awful about it. He eats pretty frequently. Sometimes during the day he'll go a few hours, but I can usually count on only about 2 hrs inbetween nursing.

I am starting to think the only option is to have my DH come with me to work, and maybe walk around the shops nearby so I can try to nurse him inbetween my appointments.

Awww... I'm so sorry that didn't work! How heartbreaking!

I like your idea of nursing him between appointments.

Best wishes for a smooth transition!

[texmati]

You don't have to use bottles! A few things that worked for us at that age...

Feeding with a spoon (we use gerber toddler spoons).

Feeding with an eye dropper (hilarious to watch!)

Feeding fresh instead of frozen.

Finger feeding.

Breastflow bottles. Evenflow purely comfi nipples. (the medela ones sucked for us. ).

Also, nuk makes sippy cup feeders that fit on to the medela bottles (look for something that says juice feeder). The flow on these were too fast for my son, but may work for yours.

[Xavismom]

Originally Posted by texmati

Also, nuk makes sippy cup feeders that fit on to the medela bottles (look for something that says juice feeder). The flow on these were too fast for my son, but may work for yours.

You know maybe I will try this!! My flow is very strong, so DS is used to it. I would hate to have to make DH just hang out around my work every weekend, he hates that kind of thing, and there isnt a park near enough for them to go to. Ugh.. I love this house but this situation is so frustrating... and my mom is being totally unsupportive, and kind of confrontational about it. She wanted to try to give him the medela again without me in the house, and DS melted down again.

And we are trying with fresh milk. A few weeks ago, I tasted some of the frozen milk, and it didnt taste nice at all, kind of soapy. I think the fresh milk tastes like coconut milk, so I can see why DS would get mad!

We have tried an eyedropper, with no success. DS is VERY opinionated on getting his milkies!! The dropper made him really angry too.

[illumini]

I may be wrong but there is something called a lipase imbalance that makes your frozen milk taste soapy. This could be why your son is refusing a bottle. If I remember correctly you will need to heat any milk you want to freeze to keep it from tasting funny. Hope that helps!

[Xavismom]

Originally Posted by illumini

I may be wrong but there is something called a lipase imbalance that makes your frozen milk taste soapy. This could be why your son is refusing a bottle. If I remember correctly you will need to heat any milk you want to freeze to keep it from tasting funny. Hope that helps!

I've heard that too, and wondered if I have that. Unfortunately DS wont take the fresh pumped milk either.